Should Employees Be Required to Disconnect After Work?

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As companies struggle to overcome a talent shortage amidst the “great resignation ,” many find themselves asking how this situation came to be. While there are multiple factors behind the spiraling quit rates, one of the root causes is increased burnout, especially among remote employees.

By now we’ve all seen that while remote working has numerous benefits, it can also have a detrimental effect on people’s work-life balance. Numerous studies report that remote employees are working at night and on the weekends, and the average workday has lengthened by 48 minutes . Adding to this is an often unspoken expectation that workers should be willing to respond to emails or messages at any time of the day.

I think the occasional after-hours email is acceptable, but in most cases, the situation isn’t so benign. In fact, what I’m hearing from many leaders is that the shift to remote working has led to a company-wide “always on” culture where employees feel compelled to reply to emails or messages as quickly as possible. And if they do sign off for the evening or on the weekends, they risk being left out of important discussions or they’re seen as less dedicated to their job.

It’s a uniquely challenging dilemma because simply banning after-hours communication isn’t a practical solution for most businesses — and it’s not always what workers want, either. But something has to be done, and that’s why managers, companies, and even entire countries are grappling with how to address an issue that is adversely affecting people’s health and overall quality of life.

Here’s an overview of the topics I cover in this week’s article — subscribe now and you’ll immediately receive the full version:

• The current state of work-life imbalance: Over 80% of managers would contact their employees after hours, and nearly 30% would expect a response within a few hours. I think most of us would agree that there’s nothing wrong with sending a message to employees if there’s an emergency. But the reality is that 76% of employees say they regularly check work emails after hours, and 55% ?check?their email?after?11 PM.
• The ripple effects of “anticipatory stress”: Not surprisingly, when work trickles into people’s personal lives it affects not only their health but also their relationships. However, what’s even more notable is that these negative outcomes are experienced regardless of how much time employees actually spend attending to work emails. In fact, the mere expectation of being “always-on,” known as anticipatory stress , can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and emotional distress.
• What’s being done globally: In several European countries, legislation has successfully been introduced to prevent businesses from encroaching on their employees’ personal time. France set a strong precedent in 2016 when their government?adopted?a?labor law?that included a?right to disconnect. Spain has also followed suit, and Portugal recently set a new precedent by becoming the first country where employers could face fines for contacting their employees after hours.?
• Finding the right balance between restriction and choice: Compared to other parts of the world, legislative efforts haven’t gained nearly as much traction in the U.S. This raises the question: What should organizations do to address the “always-on” workplace? Is a ban on after-hours communication necessary, or are there other ways to move the needle on this issue?

Want to read the full article? You can access it in the?Workplace Intelligence Insider Archives . To receive the new edition every Monday morning,?subscribe ?for free.

And let me know what you think in the comments below — should organizations restrict after-hours emailing, or is it more important to give people choice and flexibility regarding when they work?